Resilient supporting shank



March 21, 1961 R. R. GUNDERSON 2,976,000

RESILIENT SUPPORTING SHANK Filed Feb. 24, 1960 PIE-l2 F155 United Sttes Patent O RESILIENT SUPPRTING SHANK Ralph R. Gunderson, 5520 South Shore Drive,

' Chicago, Ill.

Filed Feb. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 10,691

9 Claims. (Cl. 248-204) This invention relates to supporting shanks, and more particularly, to a resilient supporting shank of the type employed with signal markers, signs for house addresses and the like. This application is a comp-anion of my copending application, Serial No. 715,231, filed February 14, 1958, entitled Signal Flare Marker.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved resilient shank for supporting warning and other indicating signs.

Another object is to provide a resiliently ilexible shank formed from a length of wire embraced by a closely coiled spring, the coil spring and wire being constructed and arranged so that during lateral ilexure of the shank, the ilexing forces are distributed longitudinally of the wire by the convolutions of the spring to prevent the wire from assuming a crimped or set condition.

A further object is to provide such a resilient shank constructed from a length of wire embraced by a closely 4coiled spring, the coil spring and wire cooperating to lend supporting stiffness to the shank while permitting resilient fleXure under lateral stresses. l

Another object is to provide a resilient shank c onstructed from an elongated wire-like element embraced by a closely coiled spring, the wire-like element mounting a fitting for attachment of an indicating Sign and retaining the coil spring and fitting against longitudinal movement on the shank.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View showing the resilient shank supporting a sign indicating a house address;

Fig. 2, a side elevational view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a sectional view taken as indicatedron line 44-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional view of a modification of the invention, the sectional view being similar to that shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6, a sectional view taken as indicated on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the embodiment illustrated, an elongated support member is shown formed from a resilient shank portion, generally designated 10, and a rigid metal stake, generally designated 11, which are adjustably joined together by a clamp member, generally designated 12. The stake may be pointed so that it can be readily driven into the surface of the earth or be placed in the tarred portion betweenv adjacent slabs of concrete on the highway. The support member is shown secured to a sign 14 of the type v generally used to indicate house addresses by a detachable fitting, generally designated 13.

' lower end of the wire is preferably bent as at 17 about the lowest or end convolution of the spring 16, and the i ce upper end of the wire is beaded or otherwise deformed as at 18 so as to secure the resilient shank portion v10 to the iitting 13.

The fitting 13 adapts the resilient shank portion 10 for detachable securement to the indicating sign 14. The

The tting 13 is also provided with a laterally extend-i f ing portion 24 and a lower cylindrical portion 25 preferably integrally formed with the end portion 21.y The laterally extending portion 24 is provided with flats 26 to accommodate a wrench or the like so that the fitting 13 can be rotatably advanced into the well 22 of the sign 14. A narrow bore 26 is also preferably provided axially of the fitting 13 of a size to make a close iit about the eXtreme upper end ofthe wire 15, as shown in Fig. 3. Although the fitting 13 is free to be rotated withvrespect to the wire 15, it cannot be'removed from the wire 15 because of the beaded or deformed portion 18.

In assembling the resilient shank portion 10, the fitting 13 is first placed upon the wire 15 so that the deformed end 18 of the wire 15 is pulled to the bottom of the enlarged chamber 23. then advanced about the Wire to a position abutting the base of the tting 20, and iinally, the closely coiled l spring 16 is placed about the wire 15 so that itsy upper end abuts the lower surface of the buffer element V27. The lower free end of the wire is then turned aboutthe end convolution of the spring 16 in the manner shown in Fig. 3 so that the tting 13, the bulferelement 17 and thespring 16 are all snugly held. upon the wire 15.V

The resilient shank portion v10 of the supporting shank is then placed in the clamp 12 which is of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No. 715,231, iiled February 14, 1958. This clamp has two pairs of opposed jaws 20 and 20a, the rst pair of which'embraces the lower end of the resilient shank portion 10, and the second pair `of which embraces the upper end of the rigid stake 11. The two pairs of jaws are held in clamping engagement by a bolt 28 passing centrallyA through the clamp between the resilientl shank portion 10 and the stake 11 and is held in place by a nut 30 threaded to the bolt 28. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the bent'portion 17 of the wire 15 is preferably placed between the opposed y'faces of the clamp 12 so that the wire is held in Vfixed 'relation with respect to the rigid stake 11 when the tting V20 is being threadably advanced into the well 22 of the indicating sign 14.

The wire 15 is not very resilient, and thus it normally would tend to assume a set condition after bending.V However, Vwhen employed with the coil spring 16,`the wire 15 cooperates therewith to form a highly resilient and extremely eifective supporting shank. Since V.the

inner surfaces of the convolutions of the spring 16 closely bear against the wire 15 throughout its length,`the lateralr flexing or bending forces exerted on the shank portion 10 are distributed by the innersurfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire 15. Thus the bendl portions of the coil spring 16 on the side in whose drec- Patented `Mar. 21,1961 y A resilient buffer element 2'7 lis tion the bending is imparted, tend to be squeezed together and the portions on the opposite side of the spring 16 tend to be stretched apart. The longitudinal movement of the coil spring 16 during bending is absorbed by the buffer element 27 so that the forces on the fitting 20 are cushioned.

A modification of the device is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, a fitting, generally designated 40, is mounted in the shank portion a and has an upper end portion 41 which is externally threaded so as to'be threadably received in the threaded well 22 of the indicating sign 14. The upper end portion 41 has a slotted chamber 43 formed eccentrically of the axis of the fitting 40 and extending longitudinally thereof so as to snugly receive a crimped end portion 44 of the wire 15a.

The fitting 40 also has a laterally extending portion 24a and a lower cylindrical portion 25a and is otherwise formed in the same manner as the fitting 13 of the pre'- ferred embodiment, i.e., except for the eccentrically arranged chamber 43. Thus in this form of the device, as best seen in Fig. 6, when the fitting 40 is rotated, the wire 15a is rotated with the fitting. In order to accommodate the rotation of the wire Sa with respect to the coiled wire 16a, the clamp 12 is merely positioned above the free end of the bent portion 17a of the wire 15 so that the bent portion 17a is freeV to rotate when the tting is being screwed into an indicating sign.

The modified embodiment of the supporting shank otherwise performs in the same manner as the preferred embodiment. The buffer element 27a absorbs longitudinal forces and the closely embraced coil spring 16a distributes bending forces up and down the length of the wire 15a so that the wire does not become crimped during ilexure.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A resilient support for an indicating sign, comprising: a length of coil spring having closely coiled convolutions affording a central longitudinal opening through the coil spring; a length of flexible wire positioned within said central opening, said wire being of a size so that its outer lateral surface is closely adjacent to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the coil spring whereby lateral flexing forces on` the spring are distributed by said inner surfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire to prevent the wire from assuming a set position, one end portion of the wire being retained adjacent a corresponding end portion of the coil spring so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the wire with respect to the coil spring in one direction, and the other end portion of the wire extending outwardly of the opposite end portion of the coil spring; and means secured to said other end portion of the wire and being adapted to engage the indicating sign to secure the support to the indicating sign. f

2. A resilient support for an indicating sign as specified in claim l, in which the one end portion of the wire is bent laterally about the end convolution of the coil spring so that the length of wire is free to rotate within the coil spring in response to rotative forces exerted in the wlre.

3. A resilient support as specified in claim 2, in which the means is a fitting having an end portion adapted to mount the indicating sign, and the other end portion of the wire is secured to the fitting so that the entire length of wire turns with rotation of the indicating sign.

4. A resilient support as specified in claim 1, in which the means is a fitting having a longitudinal bore of a size to receive and embrace the other end portion of the wire and an enlarged chamber to receive the projecting free end of said other end portion of the wire, said projecting free end being deformed to prevent the fitting from Vbecoming separated from the other end portion of 4 i the wire while permitting relative rotation between said fitting and said wire.

5. A resilient support as specified in claim 4, in which the fitting has an end portion adapted to mount vthe indicating sign, and the one end portion of the wire is secured against rotation with respect to the coil spring.

6. A resilient support for an indicating sign, comprising: a length of coil spring having closely coiled convolutions affording a central longitudinal opening through the coil spring; an elongated exible wire-like element positioned within said central opening, said wire-like element beng of a size so that its outer lateral surface is closely adjacent to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the coil spring whereby lateral exing forces on the spring are distributed by said inner surfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire-like element to prevent the wire-like element from assuming a set position, one end portion of the wire-like element being attached to a corresponding end portion ofthe coil spring to prevent longitudinal movement of the element with respect to the coil spring in one direction, and the other end portion of the wire-like element extending outwardly of the opposite end portion of the coil spring; and a fitting secured to said other end portion of the wirelike element, said tting being constructed for detachable engagement with the indicating sign.

7. A resilient support for an indicating sign, comprising: a length of coil spring having closely coiled convolutions aifording a central longitudinal opening through the coil spring; a length of exible wire positioned within said central opening, said wire being of a size so that its outer lateral surface is closely adjacent to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the coil spring whereby lateral flexing forces on the spring are distributed by said inner surfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire to prevent the wire from assuming a set position, one end portion of the wire being secured against rotation with respect to the coil spring adjacent a corresponding end portion of the coil spring to prevent longitudinal movement of the wire with respect to the coil spring in one direction, and the other end portion of the wire extendingoutwardly of the opposite end portion of the coil spring; a resilient buffer element positionediadjacent the opposite end portion of the coil spring and embracing the other end portion of the wire so that said other end portion projects through said buffer element; and a fitting having a longitudinal bore of a size to receive and embrace the other end portion of the wire and an enlarged chamber to receive the projecting free end of said other end portion of the wire, said fitting having a threaded end portion adapted to threadably mount the indicating sign, said projecting free end of the other end portion of the wire being deformed within said enlarged chamber to prevent the fitting from becoming separated from the other end portion of the wire while permitting relative rotation between said fitting and said wire.

8. A resilient support for an indicating sign as specified in claim 1, in which a resilient buffer element embraces the other end portion of the wire and is positioned between the opposite end of the coil spring and the engaging means to absorbforces of said coil spring during flexing.

9. A support for an indicating sign, comprising a resilient shank formed from a length of coil spring having closely coiled convolutions affording a central longitudinal opening through the coil spring, and a length of exible wire positioned within said central opening and extending substantially throughout the length of said coil spring, said wire being of a size so that its outer lateral surface is closely adjacent to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the coil spring whereby lateral exing forces on the spring are distributed by said inner surfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire to prevent the wire from assuming a set position,

5 6 one portion of the wire being retained adjacent a eor- References Cited inthe tile of this patent responding portion of the coil spring so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the wire with respect to the UNITED STATES PATENTS coil spring; and means secured to one end of said shank 1,741,452 DaYlS Dec. 31, 1929 and being adapted to engage the indicating sign to se- 5 1,939,968 Frel Dec. 19, 1933 cure the shank to the indicating sign. 2,050,579 Murray Aug. 11, 1936 

